Switzerland in the 60s: living together outside marriage is forbidden. Men with long hair are ignored in restaurants. Women cannot vote or stand for office. Homosexuals are registered with the police. Many people find the constraints of the post-war period unbearable.

The mood among the younger generation was already tense when a wave of protest swept over the western world. In Paris, Washington, Berlin and London, and in Swiss towns too, there were demonstrations against the prevailing values.

The demands were for an end to the Vietnam War, anti-military rallies, equal rights for women, the right to be heard, and for solidarity. This movement reached its climax in 1968 and Switzerland was also involved!

Everyone who was there has memories. In the exhibition, contemporaries talk about their personal experiences. “1968” is the code word for a change in society. The exhibition traces these years in Switzerland and asks what remains in today’s politics, culture and daily life.

The exhibition presents stories of people who are forced to flee from violence, war and persecution. We can discover their misfortunes and put ourselves in the shoes of those affected.

The moving images of exhausting and hazardous journeys, often leading into the unknown, take us on a tour – to experience how it feels to arrive at a place where nobody is waiting for you. And we see who receives protection in Switzerland and other countries.

The exhibition provides an insight into Switzerland’s involvement and international aid, and reveals how decisions in the Swiss asylum procedure affect the future of those seeking protection.

“DISPLACED” is a project by the Swiss Federal Commission on Migration (FCM), the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), the United Nations (UNHCR) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).